Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The sacred profession of doctoring

Janet Tamaren, MD
Physician
August 29, 2023
Share
Tweet
Share

My heart goes out to the doctors who write about the unbearable burdens of doctoring in a corporate setting, feeling driven to see more patients than they want to within the span of an 8-hour clinic day. They’re tasked with dividing their time into shorter and shorter clinic visits, devoting more time to inputting data points into the EMR rather than engaging in meaningful patient conversations.

I have experienced both ends of this kind of care—being a provider and a recipient. The human element often becomes obscured. You don’t truly get to know your patients. Instead, you must seize upon a treatable aspect from their assortment of complaints so you can prescribe something and swiftly send them on their way.

Yet, sometimes a more nuanced conversation might lead to a better outcome. A dialogue like, “You appear stressed. I can certainly write a prescription, but have you considered discussing with your husband that you need an hour to yourself each day? Whether for a walk, reading, or a relaxing bath. Let’s follow up in a week to gauge how you’re feeling.”

Writing such a prescription can be quite fulfilling. I’ve done it on a few occasions. It’s worth exploring whether it proves helpful and whether it prompts family members to ease up on their expectations of the patient, often a mother.

The practice of medicine can be considered sacred, akin to being a lawyer, rabbi, or priest. People entrust you with their most extraordinary stories. You’re bound not only by the Hippocratic oath but also by HIPAA, compelled to safeguard their confidences. It’s a position of profound trust, one that merits more respect than it presently receives.

I retired from medicine at the age of 71. While I still found enjoyment in it, COVID-19 emerged, leading the clinic where I worked to close. This was likely the case for numerous small privately-owned clinics. Without access to tests, masks, or telehealth visits, we all vividly recall where we were on March 13th, 2020, when the Trump administration finally acknowledged the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools shuttered, and doctors needed to exercise caution.

I spent two decades in rural medicine and chronicled my experiences in a book titled, Yankee Doctor in the Bible Belt. The patients I grew acquainted with, the intricate clinical conundrums that challenged me, and the profound lessons my patients imparted about life and death—these were the themes I predominantly explored. In hindsight, I predominantly focused on the positive aspects of being a doctor. Perhaps some disheartened physicians should read it, those who are growing disillusioned with the profession. It’s an arduous field, one that exacts a toll. The tales patients share can be heart-wrenching, and losing patients can be emotionally devastating. However, the patients whose lives you positively influence can serve as a counterbalance to the heartbreak.

Moreover, maintaining a life distinct from medicine proves beneficial. Having a family, raising children—these facets offer a perspective outside the realm of physician identity. Medical school and residency fail to equip you with the skills to achieve emotional equilibrium; instead, they resemble boot camps that train you to endure lengthy shifts and sleep deprivation. Nonetheless, that equilibrium exists; it’s a personal quest to discover it. It might also entail locating a clinical environment that affords you adequate time and latitude to genuinely converse with your patients.

Janet Tamaren is a family physician.

Prev

Is a PSA test right for me? A urologist answers.

August 29, 2023 Kevin 0
…
Next

Rising longevity and cognitive health: Navigating dementia and treatment

August 29, 2023 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Primary Care

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Is a PSA test right for me? A urologist answers.
Next Post >
Rising longevity and cognitive health: Navigating dementia and treatment

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Janet Tamaren, MD

  • The unexpected truth behind these misdiagnosed medical cases

    Janet Tamaren, MD
  • The power of names: Superstition in the neonatal intensive care unit

    Janet Tamaren, MD
  • How a doctor’s clever approach restored a life—and a marriage

    Janet Tamaren, MD

Related Posts

  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • What’s the future of the physician assistant?

    Dale J. Bingham, PA-C, MPH
  • The solution to a crumbling primary care foundation is direct primary care

    Sara Pastoor, MD
  • The medical profession needs more shadowing opportunities

    Edwin Leap, MD
  • Primary Care First: CMS develops a value-based primary care program for independent practices

    Robert Colton, MD
  • Is medicine really a model family-friendly profession?

    Kristina Fiore

More in Physician

  • The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?

    Pamela Adelstein, MD
  • When rock bottom is a turning point: Why the turmoil at HHS may be a blessing in disguise

    Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD
  • How grief transformed a psychiatrist’s approach to patient care

    Devina Maya Wadhwa, MD
  • Fear of other people’s opinions nearly killed me. Here’s what freed me.

    Jillian Rigert, MD, DMD
  • What independent and locum tenens doctors need to know about fair market value

    Dennis Hursh, Esq
  • How one simple breakfast question can transform patient care

    Dr. Damane Zehra
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions
    • A world without antidepressants: What could possibly go wrong?

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Meds
    • Expert Q&A: Dr. Jared Pelo, ambient clinical pioneer, explains how Dragon Copilot helps clinicians deliver better care

      Jared Pelo, MD & Microsoft & Nuance Communications | Sponsored
    • Why the words doctors use matter more than they think

      Erin Paterson | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • What happened to real care in health care?

      Christopher H. Foster, PhD, MPA | Policy
    • How the CDC’s opioid rules created a crisis for chronic pain patients

      Charles LeBaron, MD | Conditions
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
  • Recent Posts

    • Expert Q&A: Dr. Jared Pelo, ambient clinical pioneer, explains how Dragon Copilot helps clinicians deliver better care

      Jared Pelo, MD & Microsoft & Nuance Communications | Sponsored
    • The lab behind the lens: Equity begins with diagnosis

      Michael Misialek, MD | Policy
    • Venous leak syndrome: a silent challenge faced by all men

      Elliot Justin, MD | Conditions
    • Rethinking patient payments: Why billing is the new frontline of patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?

      Pamela Adelstein, MD | Physician
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions
    • A world without antidepressants: What could possibly go wrong?

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Meds
    • Expert Q&A: Dr. Jared Pelo, ambient clinical pioneer, explains how Dragon Copilot helps clinicians deliver better care

      Jared Pelo, MD & Microsoft & Nuance Communications | Sponsored
    • Why the words doctors use matter more than they think

      Erin Paterson | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • The silent crisis hurting pain patients and their doctors

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
    • What happened to real care in health care?

      Christopher H. Foster, PhD, MPA | Policy
    • How the CDC’s opioid rules created a crisis for chronic pain patients

      Charles LeBaron, MD | Conditions
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
  • Recent Posts

    • Expert Q&A: Dr. Jared Pelo, ambient clinical pioneer, explains how Dragon Copilot helps clinicians deliver better care

      Jared Pelo, MD & Microsoft & Nuance Communications | Sponsored
    • The lab behind the lens: Equity begins with diagnosis

      Michael Misialek, MD | Policy
    • Venous leak syndrome: a silent challenge faced by all men

      Elliot Justin, MD | Conditions
    • Rethinking patient payments: Why billing is the new frontline of patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The dreaded question: Do you have boys or girls?

      Pamela Adelstein, MD | Physician
    • Make cognitive testing as routine as a blood pressure check

      Joshua Baker and James Jackson, PsyD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...